Where is Treasurer Nappier? Stealth Campaign is Troubling

State Treasurer Denis Nappier is very hard to find these day despite the fact she is running for reelection—few if any public appearances, no media availabilities, and worst of all, no debates. The office of treasurer is far too important for the voters not to hear from the incumbent. Nappier needs to debate her opponent and spell out for the voters exactly what her record is and exactly what she wants to do in the future. There is no doubt the state treasurer is entrusted with many very important elements of the taxpayers’ money. This includes pension fund management, and cash and debt management. All the more reason why the voters need to hear from Treasurer Nappier. She’s been in office since 1998 and has been a lock for reelection since then. Republican challenger Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst has called out Nappier, making a big deal out of her refusal to debate and some polling her campaign is conducting. And well he should. Even short of debates, Nappier has been a stealth incumbent as this report from NBC Connecticut demonstrates:

The bigger question is whether Nappier is avoiding the media so as not to turn her campaign into a train wreck. Her erratic management style is well known at the state Capitol—strange work hours, outbursts at employees and rambling speeches when she does speak.
This is not to say she’s done a bad job. That’s for the voters to decide. No one in Democratic circles wants to address this. They just ignore the office’s problems. The voters deserve to hear from the candidates with whom billions of dollars is entrusted. Just as The Shad has pointed out that Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Foley’s campaign is short on specifics, it needs to be said that Treasurer Nappier’s disappearing act is unacceptable.